Breathtaking
by tastingstarsinchampagne
Summary: Sperril moments, including prom. CP Coulter's Dalton!verse.


_**I own nothing. CP Coulter's Dalton!verse. Sperril moments :)**_

There was always something about Merril that Spencer had found particularly intriguing. From the moment he had seen her standing in their doorway, something inside him had snapped, or rather clicked into place. It had taken him a good two years to figure it out. Her eyes were the one thing that never changed. She could change her hairstyle, change her make-up, change her clothes but her eyes always remained the same; deep, beautiful chocolate brown with a breathtaking innocence that made her look so utterly vulnerable and brought out that protective side of Spencer. Whenever he saw her, he felt the overwhelming need to just take her hand and hold it there forever. It wasn't a desire fuelled by lust, but one filled with instinctive caring; a feeling almost brotherly, but different in a way Spencer couldn't explain.

It occurred to him, not long into his junior year, that what he felt towards her was love. It was, he would freely admit, cliché but he couldn't change it. At first, he did not acknowledge this as a romantic feeling, but rather as a brotherly love towards the girl, whose eyes still knocked the breath clear out of his lungs. The girl who he had watched for hours as she sat in the common room, constantly tucking a persistent strand of hair behind her ear as she read. The girl who wrote beautiful poetry that she didn't know he had seen. The girl who had blossomed into such a lovely woman that he couldn't tear his eyes from. Merril was so elegant and graceful; she reminded the Hanover boy of a swan. Everything about her was beautiful. Again, what Spencer felt for her; it was not lust. Nothing about his attraction was lustful, greedy.

After everything; the romantic declaration, the kiss in her bedroom, the first awkward should-I-hold-her-hand-or-haven't-we-reached-that-point-yet moments, she still hadn't found someone better. Merril was still holding his hand, kissing him, cuddling up next to him on movie nights. Spencer couldn't believe his luck. He relished in the butterflies that appeared in his stomach every time she pulled at his sleeve when they sat next to each other, he adored the warmth of the blood flowing through his veins that seemed to rush faster whenever she gave him that smile. Spencer was addicted to the way his heart skipped when they kissed, craved for the fuzzy feeling in his mind and heart whenever she relaxed in his arms. Justin and Danny would often find the two asleep on the common room sofa, entwined in each other, having fallen asleep talking together.

And, after weeks of waiting, prom eventually came around. He was nervous, to say the least. No matter how many times Merril had previously told him to calm down, he still bounced anxiously on the balls of his feet and wiped his clammy hand repeatedly while he waited outside of Hanover to pick her up. Spencer was convinced that somebody else – someone more worthy than he, someone better – would have asked her and she had changed her mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't good enough or that he was going to mess everything up. And then Merril opened the door to Hanover House and every little worry he had had dissipated. He was speechless. Dressed in a golden dress, the girl seemed to radiate a warm glow; she was utterly breathtaking. Merril had chosen to base her outfit upon Belle, and had curled her brunette locks and pinned sections of the hair so that they would fall slightly higher than the rest of the curls. It reflected the sunlight's evening rays as she walked over to him, heels clicking against the tarmac. Spencer came to his senses and took a step towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against his chest. "You look beautiful," he whispered. She tilted her head so that she was looking directly at him.  
>"Really?" Her eyes were wide and questioning, showing their childish innocence but everlasting beauty.<br>"Really, Mer. May I have this dance, my princess?" He twirled her around, and she giggled.  
>"Spence, we're not even at prom yet!" Her eyes lit up with laughter and she tugged at his hand, trying to get him to Orion Hall. He took the hint and grinned down at her, putting an arm around her waist and walking towards the door. When they walked into the Hall, it had been utterly transformed. There were Disney princesses with their respective princes all around the room, and Spencer was sure he could hear Oliver &amp; Company playing in the background. They walked over to where Justin was sitting, watching the Windsor prefect dance with Hope, who made a very elegant Cinderella. "Dude, just talk to him," Spencer hissed as he sat next to the Hanover prefect.<br>"I can't, Spence. He's with Hope now. I'm too late," Justin replied, looking more and more forlorn. Spencer rolled his eyes.  
>"This could be your last chance. I'm just saying," he muttered.<br>The evening passed in a similar fashion. He danced with Merril and was in awe of her for the entirety of the night. However, one moment in particular stood out for the Hanover.  
>"Spence!" Merril had tugged at his sleeve and he had turned to see the excitement in her eyes. "It's our song, Spence! They're playing Beauty and the Beast!" At the look in her chocolate eyes, Spencer couldn't tell her no, though he wouldn't even think of it anyway. He wasn't one for public displays of affection - something Danny had reminded him about constantly after the whole "Come to prom!" moment – but he could tell this song meant a lot to Merril. So he allowed her to take his hand and drag him to the dancefloor. He beamed as the song began to play.<p>

_Tale as old as time.  
>True as it can be.<br>Barely even friends,  
>Then somebody bends,<br>Unexpectedly._

He was holding her close to him now, swaying gently from side to side, eyes locked on each other. By now, they'd both forgotten there were other students in the room. Merril was smiling, really smiling; something that caused Spencer's heart to jump.

_Just a little change.__  
><em>_Small, to say the least.__  
><em>_Both a little scared,__  
><em>_Neither one prepared,__  
><em>_Beauty and the Beast._

This was her favourite Disney song. He knew it. Spencer twirled her around and Merril was smiling like he'd never seen her smile before.

_Tale as old as time.__  
><em>_Song as old as rhyme.__  
><em>_Beauty and the Beast._

The end of the song comes far too quickly for them both. He wasn't aware that the music had stopped until he realised that everyone had cleared from the dance floor and were then at the sides of the room applauding. Merril smiled and looked at him, eyes wide and glistening with happy tears. "I love you, Spencer Willis," she whispered, reaching up to put a hand on his cheek. He swallowed a lump in his throat.  
>"I love you too, Merril. I really, really do," he replied, before leaning in and kissing her, sweeping her off her feet. It was a good thing she was wrapped safely in his arms; she'd have fallen to the floor if he wasn't holding her. And, as they kiss in front of all of their friends, Spencer knows he's found his princess. And he knows they'll live happily ever after.<p> 


End file.
